Woolpit, Elmswell, Norton,Tostock.
Community First Responder Group

We are the local community first responder (CFR) group covering a number of villages based around Woolpit and Elmswell . CFRs are volunteers who are trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work. Our aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives. If a 999 call is prioritised and suitable for a community first responder, the ambulance control will alert the CFR if they are booked on duty and an ambulance is always sent at the same time. Our group is also well supported by two local paramedics and a GP from Woolpit Health Centre. We hold monthly meetings which includes ongoing training and support for all our members. The ambulance service also has a fulltime CFR manager and trainer covering Suffolk.

We are currently looking for new members in Woolpit and surrounding village to expand our group. If you are interested in joining us (even if you can only spare a few hours a month) or just want to find out more, please contact Merv (our group coordinator) on 07909 006496 or you can email us at
wentcfr@gmail.com.

We have also put together a few simple ideas which may be helpful.

Message-In-A-Bottle

This scheme, started by The Lions Club (http://www.lions.org.uk/health/miab),
is a simple idea designed to encourage people to keep their personal
and medical details on a standard form and in a common
location – the fridge. Whilst it is focused on the more
vulnerable people in our community, anyone can have
an accident at home, so this scheme can benefit everyone.
If there is a need for a paramedic to come to the house
to see you in an emergency, this information can then be
very quickly found and may well be invaluable while you are
being treated. There are a number of places to obtain these bottles, the
best one being The Lions Club – Tel: 0845.833.9502, or E.mail:
miabceorder@lions.org.uk ,
or local branch’s Website:
www.stowlions.org.uk.

Emergency Call Buttons & Key Pads

Emergency Call Buttons can be rented by the quarter from Mid Suffolk
District Council, where a very helpful team will give advice and
guidance about this extremely useful piece of equipment which is
particularly appropriate for people living on their own. As well as the
call button, which can be worn on the wrist or round the neck, this team
are able to help and advise on emergency Key Pads which are also very
helpful when you have dialled 999 and the emergency services need to
gain access if you are unable to reach the door. For further details,
please contact Wendy Allum on 01449-724752 or E-mail
wendy.allum@midsuffolk.gov.uk

House Numbers & Signs

Please look at your house number or sign and check if you think it
would be clearly visible to the emergency services, both during the day
and at night. So often we are called out responding to an emergency call
but cannot find the house because the sign is hidden or even missing,
and this could be the difference in whether we are able to find you in
time. When you dial 999, particularly during the hours of darkness, if
at all possible please remember to switch on all the lights (including
those outside) since this also helps us to find you and save precious
minutes.